Control switch



Jan. 6, 1942. J. EATON 2,269,191

CONTROL SWITCH Original Filed July 27, 1940 lnvemtor:

John Eaton,

by W 6.

His Attorney- Patented Jan. 6, 1942 CONTROL SWITCH John Eaton, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York ormiiai application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 341,994. Divided and this application July 11, 1941, Serial No. 402,752

3 Claims.

as disclosed and claimed in my above application, 1

although it may be used with advantage in other multiple contact sequence switch service if desired.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved complementary nested switch construction wherein the several switch conducting, insulating and supporting parts are specially formed with non-circular bosses and cooperating non-circular openings so as to enable them to be built up and clamped in interlockednesting relation in such a way that each conducting switch part is insulated from the other conducting switch parts as well as from the supporting parts. 4

Another object is an improved composite multiple row switch construction particularly adapted for use in a cam operated sequence switch.

The improved complementary switch construction of the present invention enables a multiplicityof switch contact parts and a multiplicity of switch insulating parts, all of substantially duplicate form, to be integrated into a multiple contact switch structure with a common supporting and fastening means for all of the switch parts.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, each switch comprises an insulating member, preferably of moulded material, provided with non-circular bosses or extensions adjacent its opposite ends, together with a pair of cooperating switch parts, each of which is provided with a non-circular opening so that it may he slid over a corresponding boss on the insulating member and thereby mounted in a fixed circuit controlling alignment with the other switch part. The insulating member preferably is provided with a pair of openings each extending through one of the bosses so that the insulating member, together with the switch parts mounted thereon, may be fixedly mounted upon a pair of supporting posts or studs projecting from a suitable base or supporting plate. Where it is desired to build up a multiple contact switch, a plurality of the insulating members, each with its own pair of cooperating switch parts mounted thereon, may be slid over the same supporting posts or studs so'that all the switch members are mounted in a fixed alignment and clamped between adjacent insulating members. For a cam operated sequence switch construction, two rows of the aligned switch parts may be mounted in opposition with a rotatable cam shaft extending therebetween so as to sequentially operate the several switches in a desired sequence determined by the cams and the relative location of the switches. This results in a compact, sturdy multiple switch contact structure inwhich separate terminals for wiring connections to each switch part may be readily provided with each switch part firmly clamped in its operative position by the common clamping means at theend of the supporting posts or studs for all the switch parts. This enables the multicontact switch structure to be readily assembled or disassembled. Also, since the separate switch parts if desired may be substantially duplicates and likewise the insulating and mounting parts, a sequential control switch mechanism involving a complex sequence of operation may be built up' from relatively few and simple parts.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded view of the improved multi-contact sequence switch mechanism of the present invention adapted for use in an oil burner sequencing control with certain parts omitted for the sake of clarity; and Fig. 2 is a perspective assembled view of the multicontact sequencing switch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 showing more in detail how the separate wiring terminals may be provided for each of the several switch parts.

As indicated in Fig. l, the improved multi-contact sequencing switch mechanism comprises a plurality of stationary switch parts ill, i2, i4 and I5, and a plurality of cooperating movable switch parts H, l3, l5 and H, the latter being operated in a desired sequence by means of the cams C1, C2, C3, and C4 carried on the rotatable shaft I8 operated by the electric timing motor 18 through suitable speed reducing gearing enclosed within casns The switch stationary part i9 is shown in the form of a plate with a non-circular opening 22 formed therein adapted to fit over the boss or projection 23 formed on the insulating member 24 which preferably is of suitable moulded insulating material. The member 24 is provided with an opening 25 extending through the boss 23 so that the member 24 may be threaded over and supported upon a mounting post 25 extending from the supporting base or plate 21 which carries the cam shaft l8 and the timing motor 19, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. Also, as indicated in Fig. 2, the other end of the insulating member 24 is provided with a boss similar to boss 23 and an opening similar to opening 25 so that the other end of the insulating member 24 may be threaded over and thereby mounted upon the supporting post 2! extending from the base 21 similarly to the post 26. This enables the support ng plate 3|, upon which the movable switch member II is mounted, to be threaded over the boss on the lower end of the member 24 and thereby held in a fixed operating relation with the switch part l0. 7

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the other cooperating pairs of switch parts I2, l3, ll, IS, IS and I1, together with the special lockout switch parts L1 and L2, are similarly mounted in fixed cooperating relation upon similar insulating members 32, 3,3, 34, and 35, each of which is provided at its opposite ends with a non-circular boss having an opening therethrough so that all the'parts' may be threaded on the supporting posts, 26 and 29 with suitable insulating spacers S1, S2, S3 at the ends, and the nuts 36 and 37 tightened up to clamp all the various switch parts into an inte- I ated unit.

As shown in Fig. 2, and indicated schematically in Fig. l, a similar series of cooperating switch parts it, 52, 53, and 5! are assembled in opposing staggered relation upon the insulating members 55, 56, 51, and the studs or mounting posts it and H which extend from the base 21 on the opposite side of the cam shaft IS, the latter being provided with a suitable series of cams, C1 to C9 as indicated in Fig. 1, for operating all the switches.

Thus by means of the improved construction of go the present invention, the opposite series of cam operated switches may be clamped in closely aligned relation upon the four studs 26, 29, 49 and ti which extend in spaced apart relation from the base 2'! through the plurality of suitably formed insulating members or blocks each carrying the switch parts so as to electrically insulate What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a control switch mechanism, the combination of supporting means including a pair of spaced apart parallel rods, an insulating member having a pair of spaced apart non-cir-= cular bosses with openings extending through said 'bosses for slidably mounting said member on said rods, a metal plate provided with a noncircular opening for slidably mounting said plate on one of said bosses, a switch contact mounted on one edge of said plate, a separate metal plate provided with a non-circular opening for. slidably mounting said plate on the other of said bosses, a movable switch contact resiliently mounted on one edge of said separate plate in circuit controlling relation with said first switch contact, and means including a second insulating member slidably mounted on said rods for clamping said plates on said bosses between said insulating members.

2. In a control switch mechanism, the combination of a base having a pair of spaced apart parallel studs extending therefrom, an insulating member having a pair of non-circular bosses extending in spaced apart parallel alignment therefrom with openings extending through said bosses for slidably mounting said member on said studs, a metal plate provided with wiring terminal holding means and with a non-circular opening for slidably mounting said plate on one them from the studs as well as from each other.

When all of the switch parts are assembled together, each part is held clamped between the adjacent insulating members or blocks. Preferably an end plate 42, provided with a central bearing opening for the end of the cam shaft I8 is provided with suitably spaced openings for receiving the ends of the four supporting studs 26, 29, 40 and I. Thus by tightening up the nuts onthe threaded ends of the studs, the end plate 42 is drawn inwardly so as to clamp alloi the insulating blocks together with the switch parts clamped in proper position on their respective bosses between the adjacent insulating .blocks.

Each of the switch parts preferably is provided with a suitable wiring terminal, either of the screw clamped type as shown at 43 or of th soldered or welded type shown at M.

As pointed out in my prior application, the soldered or welded wiring terminal holding means may be used for the permanent connections between the integral parts of the sequencing switch mechanism, while the screw clamp type of wiring terminal holding means provides readily removable connections to the non-integral partsof the burner control system. This facilitates the inter-connection oi the control sequence timing switch mechanism with the master control, combustion switch, various operating elements of the burner, and also the power supply of said bosses, a separate metal plate provided with wiring terminal holdingmeans and with a non-circular opening for slidably mounting said plate on the other of said bosses, a switch contact mounted on one edge of said first plate, a cooperating movable switch contact resiliently mounted on one edge of said separate plate incircuit controlling relation with said first switch contact, a second insulating member provided with a pair of spaced apart openings extending therethrough for slidably mounting said member on said studs to hold said plates on said bosses.

and means adjacent the ends of said studs for. clamping said insulating members together with said plates therebetween.

3. In a control switch mechanism, the combination of a base having opposite pairs of spaced apart parallel studs extending therefrom, a pair of insulating members, each having a pair of non-circular bosses with openings extending through said bosses ior slidably mounting said members in opposing relation on said pairs of studs, a pair of metal plates mounted in opposing relation on each of said members with each .plate provided with a non-circular opening for slidably mounting said plate on a corresponding one of said bosses thereof, a switch contact mounted on the inside edge of one of each pair of said plates, a movable switch contact resiliently mounted on the inside edge of the other of each pair of said plates in circuit controlling relation with said first switch contact, a cam switch operating member mounted on said base between said pairs of studs and extending between said movable switch contacts for controlling operation thereof, and means including a second pair means, which have been omitted for the sake of Q simplicity. The improved construction of the present invention enables all of the high voltage *switches of the oil burner control to be located on one side of the cam shaft, while all the low -voltage control switches may be located on the other side of the cam shaft. 1

of insulating members, each slidably mounted on a corresponding pair of said studs, and an 'end plate slidably mounted on said studs and provided with a bearing for supporting the end of said cam switch operating member for c1amp= ing said plates on said bosses between said in= sulatingmembers.

' 5 JOHN EA'IQLQ. 

